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Republican Gov. John Kasich and Democratic Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman each said the
country emerged stronger from the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, but they also offered calls for a
renewed sense of unity during a remembrance ceremony yesterday at City Hall.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Kasich said, recalling the acts of bravery and faith that he
witnessed near ground zero in New York a few days after Sept. 11, 2001.

“And yet, despite the attacks on our souls, we as a country have never flinched. Today, we
celebrate America. We mourn with those who lost, but we’re stronger for it. We’ve picked ourselves
up and we’ve moved forward.”

The ceremony, titled “Never Forget,” was attended by numerous elected leaders, as well as
Columbus’ first responders, who were recognized during the event.

A special guest was Ronald E. Rosser, 83, one of Ohio’s few surviving recipients of the Medal of
Honor — awarded for his service during the Korean War.

The gathering was one of several held across central Ohio yesterday to mark the 12th anniversary
of the attack that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, at the Pentagon and near Shanksville,
Pa.

At the Ohio Statehouse, clergy members and others gathered for a Christian “Cry Out! America”
event to pray for the country and other issues, such as government, business, education and
family.

Judy Seifert, the Ohio coordinator of the event, said similar gatherings were held throughout
the nation.

“Christians are united around their county courthouses to cry out to God,” she said. “In this
critical hour in our nation’s history, now more than ever, we are being called to stand in the gap
for America with prayer.”

Anne Botti of Upper Arlington attended with two of her children, Joe, 13, and Sarah, 10.

“I want my kids to know what a great nation we live in and how important it is for us to
remember and pray for those whose lives continue to be touched by the events of Sept. 11, 2001,”
said Botti, who served 15 years in the Air Force.

The Rev. Scott Kelso, retired pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Pickerington, offered
a prayer for homeland security and the military, noting that the country is protected by “ships
sailing the seas ... planes flying in the skies ... satellites circling the Earth.”

“Father, we pray that you would spread a blanket of protection across this nation and at its
four corners,” Kelso said. “We know that there are many who are laboring to keep us secure, but we
know that it is the protection of your hand that can ultimately bring us to that place of
freedom."

The Rev. Janet Stewart, of the Powerhouse Community Church on Columbus’ North Side, asked those
gathered to repent for themselves and for the nation, noting that the commemoration falls this year
during the Jewish Days of Awe.

“It’s no happenstance that we’re here today together during the season between Rosh Hashana and
Yom Kippur,” she said. “We’re in a season where we actually are coming before the Lord repenting
and asking him … to forgive us of our sins.”

At City Hall, Coleman recalled some of what his administration and Columbus’ first responders
encountered on that day 12 years ago, saying, “I don’t want us to ever lose the spirit that we had
of unity, that we had for that period of time after 9/11.”

“We came together on the steps of City Hall,” Coleman said. “Elected officials, civic leaders,
religious leaders, we stood there, white, black, Republican, Democrat, it didn’t matter because we
were all Americans. Muslims, Jews, everybody stood there together. ... We need to maintain that
spirit in our city and maintain that spirit in our country.”